Automobile.



LE VERTLARK.

UTOMOBLE. y Y APPLIGATIOI? FILED JULY 26,'1911.

15,35.. M39@ f 'Patented sgpt. z2, 1914 particularly to improvements in the chassis PATENT OFFICE.

"ILE'VEE-'I CLARK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMOBILE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Application led July 26, 1911. Serial No. 640,592.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, LE VERT CLARK, a citizen of the -United States, residing at Detroit, inthe county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented new and useful 1111-' provements in Automobiles, and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and

lexact descriptioyt of the invention, such as will enable other skilled in the art to which it appertains to nake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings', vand to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. l

Thisv invention relates to automobiles and or running gear, composed of a truck or l trucks having novel internal spring suspension, and parts, co-'acting with ordinary vehicle driving and steering mechanisms: and more especially my specific improvement comprising the easing inelosing the spring support, used as a bed plate, base, seat, orl

place for attaching propelling means to drive the wheels by chain or direct drive to the axle; instead of attaching the motor to the vehicle body, or other portions of the automobile for this purpose, as is commonly done.l Of the trucks shown each consists of a set of two wheels, operatively c0nnected, by stub'ax-le and steering knuckles or otherwise, to an axle shaft in a framework designed to'support one end of a vehicle body. The present application is for a continuation of or improvement upon my invention described in Patent No. 1,069,228, vehicle; but more simplified and different from it in the way 4herein described.

The improved unit has no separatev and useful functions of its own apart from the vehicle frame; it being merely a component, as a lift-h wheel when it is used as a necessary element, of the frame. Therefore in the preferred form of chassis it isinten-dcd to join only the casing portions of two units by any operable means and then couple the casing'of the lower unit to the lower casing ofanothcr similar palr of units; the side sills, on which the vehiclebody rests, joining the shafts of the upper units in each pair.; which combination con-z stitutes thel entire frame of the automobile. Thereby dispensing with the horizontal girders, standards,bearing members, braces, and overhang, essential elements of a different combination, embodied in my Patent found in said patent, are in the sub-elements, the suspension spring feature; consisting of shorterreinforcing-springs modifying the action of the other springs, only when the -latter are under extraordinary stresses and greatly need assistance, because of rough roads or relatively heavy loads; and also consisting of improved means for coupling .the lower casings together; comprising a plurality of triangles with the units casing as the third side or base of each triangle. The triangles being connected together-by astiil'ening countershaft, joined by reaches to y another eountershaft connected to the other truck member, or directly to the lowerfcasing or shaft of that truck member; together constituting the improved coupling means of the fra-me; used asa substitute for, or in reinforcing any ordinary reach-poles, when desirable to reinforce them;and for other purposes in the frame, when necessary.

In the drawings: Figure l is a plan View of an automobile, embodying this invention; in which the front wheels along at the left, are steered; and ordinary propelling means are operable'with the rear wheels at the right of the ligure. Fig. 24is a rear elevation, partly cut away, of Fig. l; and also of front and rear of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a crosssection and end view, on line 3-3 of Fig. l, of the units in the front and rear truck members respectively; this figure also gives side views of conventional driving motors attached to thelower units, of two similar trucks, shown in elevation in Fig. 2 and plan view at right of Fig. l, which trucks may bc coupled together, and both steered. Showing specifically at the right of said ligure my improvement in propelling means, by attaching a conventional motor and co- -acting parts to thc'casing of the lower unit.

Similar numerals refer to similar throughout the views.

In each of the figures the units are alike in the possession of the several essential parts; to wit, the casing 20, shaft 22, perforated elosures 2i. and springs 26, or other resilient elements, which may vary in character, size, number, and degree of elasticity. 26 are called load springs, which are longer and bear the weight of the vehicle intended for the pres-. i. ent construction. Other improvements, not

p arts CII shorter springs or inutlicd with soft material (not shown),

elastic uniti".

where there is any ltendency to noise in operation. The whol-itaken collectively, for

brevity and convenience of reference, may

be termed andtreated as a single element of the character described, which I call an lts casing or housing portion is formed preferably, for this species of automobile, of a somewhat elongated prisniatic box-like frame or crate; in which the longitudinal .through is longer side operative connections, at each of its ends, with the body, wheels and other suitable parts. lnl the upper units the shaft does not rotate; nor doesit-revolve in the shaft extending therelower units when chain drive propulsion v is used. ln suchcases-a shaft may be of Ibeam construction preferably, or of any give access to other suitable cross-section.

O32 is a sleeve which may also be of prisinatie or other suitable cross-section to correspond, and is preferably used as a seat for the springs and also for 4holding the shaft which is easily withdrawn therefrom; though the springs may be mounted directlyon the shaft asat 34 in Fig. 3. For convenience a dead shaft may be divided and the parts inserted in each outerend of the adjacent sleeve portions 32 and 32 and bolted or spliced together like a track joint of a railroad, or otherwise, not necessary to illustrate. 'If it -is a live aXle the divided parts will connect at the differential in the usual way. Portions of the casing and sleeve may be prepared to be opened as needed -to making suitable connections with the shaft or for placing springs and other purposes.

36 shown in dotted `lines is lthe outline of 'a conventional non-rotating differential housing, otherwise an enlargementof `the sleeve 32, containing a direct shaft drive mechanism operatively connected to'an inside rotatable shaft, carrying the vehicle wheels 70, which may be used if preferred instead of a dead axle and chain drive, in`

Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Suitable anti-friction bearings such as are described in my appli@ ration No. 494,988 or other species may space a rotating usual way.

die resilient elements inside the casing support the shaft and are seated preferably on the sleeve, and necessarily so when it encloses a rotatable shaft, to oscillate only in a relation vertical to a horizontal plane in than the casing, for outa.

interior parts for repairs and' shaft and its sleeve in the' their casing portions as which lies the shaft: for which pur ose l preferably employ lordinary spiral olster springs; but other resilient elements may be used of the shaft.

9A is a closureon the ends of the casing with an elongated opening 38 which may be in the form of an arc in Fig. 3, through which projects the shaft; the elongated opening allows for relativel oscillation of the casing and shaft.

4:0 is a thrust bearing or shoulder sliding on the closure 2li as guides which maybe used to prevent side slip. If there is an eX-' the ends of'the save the springs. of the elastic unit cess of load or oscillation, opening 88 act as stops to The above description is which forms an integral itself. One or more of t ese .units may be employed in each front and in each 'rear truck member. l preferably use two in each truck to obtain greater elasticity in pleasure vehicles, and place the shaft eccentric with the longitudinal axis of the casing by the use of several load 0r main springs 26 and fewer short buer springs 4Q8 of any resilient material and shape. l2 is'a conventional vehicle body portion instead, above and below the plane art of the vehicle connected to the shaft of the upper unit by brackets 44 which are, however, not essential, as the side bar-may be directly connected to the shaft without the interventionv of brackets. The upper units'may bedispensed' with and the vehicle lbody connected to the lowerV as indicated by the dotted lines 42. This is suitable for some commercial vehicles swung low to the ground.

46 are in the nature of saddle blocks which, like brackets lare used merely to elevate or space the upper from thev lower unit as far aspdesirable, but may preferably be omitted altogether as in Fig. 1.

48 is the upper portion of a conventional fifth wheel attached to the upper unit and 48 the lower portion attached to the lower unit. Conccntric therewith is a king-bolt 50 inovably attaching together the upper and lower units, which may then be turned laterally in opposite directions upon the axis of the bolt 50 `the same as the front truck of an ordinary wagon. But if it is desired t0 lix temporarily or permanently the upper and lower units, immovable in relation to cach otlier` and have the vehicle steer by the front wheels, I use a plurality of easily removable pins or bolts 452 and 52 attaching the units, so as to prevent any lateral revolution on the airis of, a central bolt. vAll of the spacing` parts described, between the upper and lower units, may-be omitted and the two units directly attached together by stated and a fifth wheel may be placed between them in the same relation and attachablc as above described, if so desired. Though the adjacent y shown).

.il are braces to stillen the outer edges of 'a fifth wheel, of extra large diameter; but

l ie two of .the coli'ntershaft 64, one at each .c'asing20. The propelling means shown to -possible'to steer only the by .its stub axles alone.

- tion parallel other motor 56 4the large size is not essential ating propelling means there fares of two circles concentric .with the and a smaller may answer the purpose. l

To the right of Fig. 3, is a conventional electric motor 56 very firmly attached to the casing ofthe adjacent unit. Of the copershown, which are the only `propelling claimed as new in this application, the casing 2O4 is an .essential member thereof; and is likewise inseparable from the running gear. llt forms the base of the triangle of g which.y llc other two sides are, the distancel V rods 6c, and 68 1n combination =unctions are hereinafter sald triangles therewith, described. supporting end of the the left` of Fig. 3, including the motor attached to the axle shaft 22 or sleeve 32 and oscillating therewith, may be such as is comment used;and is not herein specifically claimed. Together they constitute a four wheel drive 1 But the propelling means, to'right of Fig. 3, may be used in both forward and rear trucks, or in the rear truck alone to right of Fig. 1.

front wheels including the front axle of Fig. 3, or the front Wheels including the axle and stub axles of Fig. l, but is not so desirable as to steer There is a pinion or sprocketwheel on the far end of the armature axle 58 which co-acts by a chain 60 with a differential gear 62 on the countershaft 64 which also has a sprocket at veach of its ends; the one on the far side the near one being cut ofi supposedly 011 line 3 3) co-acts with the driving chain 30. and sprocket 66.to propel the wheels 70. The countershaft is kept its distance away by adjustable radial rods 68 and 68 attached at one end to the adjacent unit casing (or motor casing 56) and the other ends carrying the counter-shaft 64. The edges 38 of the opening in the closure 24 are preferably counter-shaft 64 so'that no matter @what the oscil- `lation 'of the axle shaft 22 may be within its limitations, the tension on the chain 30 `will remain the same under all conditions because of the rods 63 radial to the shaft 64 and arc 38". Distance rods not shown may also be used to connect together the countershaft 64 with the axle 22 (or sleeve 32) in the usual way, well known to the art, in a relato the dotted lines connecting those members, in each truck ot' Fig. The installed inthe front truck to the left of Fig. 3, is likewise very firmly vehicles,

casing portion of the adjacent unit which 1s parts specifically It is also f portion of the fifth keeping both counter-shafts ment attached to the unit, in this ever, to a sleeve portion 32 usually called a housing, inclosing the shaft inside the casing, which is a common method in electric instead'of being attached to the instance, howmy improved method as shown to ,the right of Fig. 3. However,`in both instances the electric motors are attached irmly tothe units and turn 'laterally with them, if the units turn sidewise, andupon the same vertical axes of the kingibiilts 50: both trucks may, by this combinatio-lie easily propelled and steered simultaneously. l Oi" course to turn sidewise the radial or distance ro S180 (not shown) in the left of Fig. 3, holding' the counter-shaft 64 would have to be attached to the same base (the sleeve 32') asthe motor 56 which attachment is well known to the art: chainless or cog wheel motors may be used in the front truck instead.v There are many well known methods of installing power plants in vehicles to propel. them, particularly when the trucks, co-acting with the p turn laterally on a king-bolt: but as to this I only claimA specifically not the motors but the combination embodying' any propelling means to drive the vehicle co-acting with an elastic unit as an element or withparts operatively connected to the unit.

72 are rods that couple the front and rear trucks together, preferably in' alternate relation so that both truck members may be steered .as shown in Fig. 3 by an ordinary steering postv and pinion 74' co-acting with gear teeth 49 on the wheel. Instead of coupling the bottoms-of front and rear units I may couple in the ysame alternate relation the ends of the counter-shafts 64 and 64 as shown by the rods in' dotted lines 72 which also provides good suspension means for in proper aline- The above is the simplest mode of steering but there are other better methods, not here illustratedof steering both the trucks; for example, by c hainsL connected to the lower parts ofthe fifth wheel of either truck or to any suitable lower parts of the truck to right and left of its center and passing the chains, in alternate series around a drum `on a counter-shaft having a pinion working with a worm gear on an ordinary steering post (not shown). The coupling rods may be attached together at point of interscctionlby a bolt 76 or otherwise; which will maintain both front and rear axles shafts parallel with each other at all times until the bolt 76 made to be easily removablel is withdrawn or dispensed with', as in Fig. 3;

ropelling parts, do not perimeter of the lower whereby in Fig. l the ends of the forward il unit may be operatiyely connected to stub vaxles 78. and the front wheels 7 0 alone lSO 1{nuckles 80 rods and the usual steering .post 82. Other methods of coupling any two of the trucks of my invention together and steering the vehicle may be provided and found operable as well or may be better than the ways I' described and do not claim 'as new. l y

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automobile, a unit, having in combination a prismatic casing or vhousing portion; a shaft extending longitudinally through and longer than the casing so as to allow suitable connections, outside the casing, to be made on each end of the shaft, 'with parts coperating therewith; resilient elements called load springs, inside the casing, carrying the weight; opposingv elements,

steerc d by on the other side of the shaft, limiting the rebound of shaft and casing when oscillating relatively to each otherin an approximately vertical relation and not otherwise oscillatory radial to said shaft; means operatively connecting the casing to the casing of a substantially similar unit in the saine vertical plane, forming a truck member; and means to couple said casing to another truclrmember, having a pair of units in similar relation, in the same vehicle frame; the shafts of lthe upper units being con- -nected together by sills on which the vehicle-body rests; together constituting the entire vehicle frame.

2. In an automobile, :a unit, havingpin combination a casing; aA shaft-'extending f, porting longitudinally a through and; longer than. the casing; resilient members lcalled-` load springs, inside4 the' casing operatively sup-` the weight; resilient auxiliary inem/2 bers modifying and reinforcing the other load lsprings on the same'side'of the shaft and operatively assisting in carryingthe weight, onl when the casingv and shaft are runder rela ively greater 'stress than-ordinary; op'posingfel'ements on the other side of the shaft limiting the rebound of shaft and casing when oscillating relatively to each other; and'means to operatively lconnect said unit to'other suitable portions of the frame; together constituting integral parts of the running gear.

8. In an automobile, a combinatim av unit characterized by having a shaft, o a leil gth approximately the width of'theyvehicle at the place Where used; a casing, somewhat shorter than the shaft,

truck having in through which the shaft extends normally parallel with the long axis of the casing; closures on the-ends ofthe casing through which the shaft -freely` protrudes, permitting transverse oscillation relatively between the casing and shaft; springs, inside the casing on one side of the shaft, operative, only vertically in service, between the easing and the horizontal plane in which lies the shaft, resiliently sustaining the ltruck to another truck weight of the vehicle chassis, body and its load, respectively as may be required; opposing bufi'ers,rinside the casing on the other side o f the said plane, to counterbalance the springs by lessening the shock on rebound during the oscillation 'of shaft and casing relatively to each`other; means for operatively connecting the casing of the unit to thecasing of a substantially similar unit; a pair of vehicle ground wheels operatively connected to said shaft; and vehicle body sills operatively connected to said casmg. s

.4. An automobile having in combination two truck members each having apair of units in horizontal planes one above the other and operatively connected together;

each unit .being characterized by having a shaft, of a length approximating the width of the vehicle at the place where usedja casing, somewhat shorter than the shaft. through which the shaft lextends normally parallel withthe long axis `of the casing; closures on the ends of the casing through which the shaft freely protrudes permitting transverse oscillation relatively between the casing and shaft; springs, inside the casing on one side of the shaft, operative, only vertically.--in service, between the casing and the said plane, in which lies the shaft, resilieiitly sustaining the weight of the vehicle chassis, A"body and its load, respectively as may be required; opposing buffers inside the casingv on the\other side of the plane in which` lies the'shaft,` to counter-balance the springs by lessening 'the shock on rebound 'during the oscillation of shaft and casing relatively to cach other; means for attach.-

of i vehicle ground connected to the upper/shafts; substantially as described.

In an automobile, a truck having in combination anaXle shaft; a casing, somewhat shorter-.than the shaft, through which the shaftl extends, normally `parallel with the long' axis of the casing; means for attaching other cooperating parts of the vehicle to the casing and its shaft respectively; a pair of vehicle ground wheels operatively connected to said shaft; distance rods forining two sides of a triangle of which' one side of the casing forms the third-side, the'base; a plurality of which rtriangles together provide means for holding a counter-shaft at the apex' of the triangle; the countcrshar triangles and casing side together constituting coupling uie'inbers used in joining theI in the saine frame.

ln an automobile, the combination' of a horizontal shaft operatively carrying vehicle ground wheels; a casing` somewhat shorter than, and inclosiiig, the shaft; cloing other coper-ative parts of the vehicle to thesaid unit; a pair Wheels 4operatively connected to 'each of the llower shafts; a vehicle body operatively hcounter-shaft operatively sures covering the'ends of the casing portion; which closures h-ave oblong openings in the shape of an arc of a circle concentric with a connected by distance rods attached to the casing, forming two triangles having the casing as their respective bases; the sha-ft protruding through the openings and oscillating in said arc; and springs inside the casing, .supporting the i shaft, substantially as described.

7. In an automobile, the combination of a pair of trucks;leach truck having two units in horizontal planes one above the other, their casings being operatively connected together; each unit being. characterized by having a shaft inside vits casing somewhat shorter than the shaft itself; springs inside the casing above the plane in which lies the shaft and opposing buffers inside the casing on the other side ofthe shaft supporting the shaft; means for operatively connecting the two casings together, in the same truck;

ground wheels operatively connected 'to the lower shafts of each truck; a plurality of coupling mem'bers connecting together the truck members; a vehicle body connecting f the upper shafts of two trucks.

8. In an automobile, the combination of a pair of steering and driving truck members; each member having two horizontal units in planes one above the' other operatively connected together; each unit having ashaft' nclosed by a casing somewhat shorter than the shaft; springs insideeach casing on one side of the shaft operating vertically to the plane in which lies the shaft; opposing buffers inside the casing on the other side of the shaft; vehicle groundwheels operatively connected to the lower shafts; distance rods Aconnecting a countershaft and the side of the lower casing; which casing forms the third side making the respective bases of the two triangles each of which supports at its apex, one end of the countershaft; and coupling rods connecting the countershaft with the ends of a similar countershaft in the other truck member; substantially as described;

9. In a motor vehicle .and the like, a plurality of casings,

chassis', comprising a and means for joining said casings together to constitute the frame of the vehicle; in combination with a plurality of co-acting shafts, one of which is placed inside longitudinally of each of said casings transversely of the vehicle.

In testimony cation in the presence of two witnesses.

LE VERT CLARK. Witnesses:

' HENRY A. HARMON,

WILLIAM K. WILLIAMS.

whereof, I sign this speci- 

